Windshield wiper and washer apparatus



Nov. 29, 1960 F. A. KROHM WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER APPARATUS Filed Nov. 27. 1953 INVENTOR. FRED A. KROHM Unte States Patent O WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER APPARATUS Fred A. Krohm, Hobart, Ind., assignor to The Anderson Company, a corporation of Indiana Filed Nov. 27, 1953, Ser. No. 394,657

Claims. (Cl. 15--250.02)

This invention relates generally to wndshield wiper apparatus and more particularly is directed to apparatus for projecting a fluid onto a wndshield to assist the wipers in cleaning the wndshield.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus for this purpose which is operatively connected with a wndshield wiper motor in such a manner that operation of the motor can be initiated by actuating the Washer apparatus or by manipulating a separate actuator. With a setup of this character the motor and Washer apparatus can be simultaneously operated by a single control and when the washer is no longer required, the motor can be turned ofl by the manual actuator.

More specifically in this regard, the apparatus includes, among other things, a container for liquid, a control operated by the foot, a pair of nozzles, a fiexible actuator adapted for attachment to a Starter of a motor, a manual control tor moving the actuator whereby the motor can be urned on' or oli an element operatively related to the actuator, and flexible conduits communicatively connecting the foot-operated control with the container and nozzles and the element in such a way that actuation of the foot control will force liquid to the nozzles and the element to move the actuator .and starter to effect operation of the motor. In other words, the motor can be placed in operation by actuating the foot control to cause movement of the windshield wipers at substantially the same time that liquid is ejected from the nozzles onto the wndshield in the path of the wipers. p

A particular object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which the element actuated by the liquid is preferably made in the form of a bellows provided with a pin for moving the actuator when the motor is in an "oil" position. In other words, the element, through the agency of the foot control, is only adapted to cause the Starter to place the motor in operation; it cannot turn the motor ltofiii An imporant object of the invention is to provide a dual control assembly for a motor comprising, among other things, a mounting, a member movably supported on the mounting, a manual control for Operating the member to move the flexible actuator to actuate the Starter to turn the motor on or ofl The bellows element, above referred to, is carried by the mounting and is operable through the foot control to actuate the movable member to move the flexible actuator and thereby initiate operation of the motor. Since the actuator, which operatively connects the member and Starter, and the conduit, which operatively connects the bellows element and foot control, are both of a flexible character, they can be made up in predetermined lengths to facilitate installation. For example, the lengths may be such that one control assembly may be utilized for a certain number of models or makes of cars.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a dual control assembly in which the movable member thereof is-preferab1y made in the form *of a reciprocating rack and the manual control includes a gear meshing with the rack, and the bellows element is disposed substantially in axial alignment with the movable member in order to provide asmooth and eflicient acting control.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel valve structure for oontrolling the flow of liquid through the conduits so that dribbling of liquid from the nozzles is substantially eliminated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent after the description hereinafter set forth' is considered in conjunction with the drawing annexed hereto which exemplifies one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the apparatus as appled to an automotive vehicle; and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic View of the apparatus, certain components thereof being shown in section to illustrate structural details.

The apparatus, as exemplified, includes, among other things, a container 1 for liquid, a valve device generally designated 2, a cross-union 3, a pair of nozzles 4 and 5 communicatively connected to the union by conduits 6 and 7, a mounting 8 supporting a movable member 9- and a manual control 10 for moving the member 9, a fiexible actuator 11 having one end operatively attached i to the movable member 9 mounting and its other end connected to a Starter member 12 of a motor, an element 13 preferably in the form of a bellows carried by the mounting and communicatively connected to the union by a conduit 14, a pin 15 extending from the bellows for moving the movable member and actuator in unison, a conduit 16 connecting the union with the container, and a foot control generally designated 17 communicatively connected to the valve device 2 by a conduit 1 8. The arrangement is preferably such that actuation of the control 17 will force liquid from the nozzles and expand the bellows to cause the pin 15 to move the member 9 which in turn moves the actuator to actuate the starter to turn on the motor which serves to actuate a pair of wiper arms and wiper blades not shown. The manual or hand control 10 serves to operate the actuator 11 which turns the motor "on" and thereafter to an ofl' position after a sufiicient quantity of liquid has been projected onto a wndshield in the path of the;

wiper blades through the agency of the foot control 17.

The aforesaid components and others of the apparatus will now be described in detail.

The container 1 is preferably made in the formof a waterproof bag which is suitably detachably mounted on the body of a vehicle in the location shown in Figure 1. As shown in the lower part of Figure 2, the container is provided with a neck 19 which supports a closure or cap 20 which carries the valve device 2, The neck 19 and the cap 20 are preferably constructed of a resilient or pliable plastic material so that when the cap is press-fitted over the neck the rim of the neck Will engage the bottom and side wall of the cap and the rim of the cap will engage the neck at a point spaced from the end of the neck so as to provide longtudinally.

v ing provided in the bag.

The valve device 2 includes a housing 21 provided with a lower reduced t'ubular extremity which extends through the top Wall of the cap and is firmly Secured thereto by upsetting the extremityso that a pair of i washers 22 surrounding the extremity willbear e tightly The bag is also preferably made of a suitable.

against opposite sides of the top wall to efiect a seal and firmly support the valve device as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The housing is provided with a chamber 23 and a nipple 24 is press-fitted into the reduced extremity of the housing. The housing is'further provided with an openingin a side wall thereof within which a nipple 25 is secured and its upper wall is provided with an aperture 26 withinwhich a tubular part 27 is secured. A primary valve member 23, preferably in the form of a ball, is loosely arranged for movement in the chamber 23 of the housing for cooperation with the upper end of the nipple 24. The tubular part 27 is provided with a cagelike formation adjacent its upper end and serves to loosely retain a sensitive secondary valve 29, preferably in the form of a smaller ball, with respect to a portion of the part which constitutes a valve seat. The upper end of a resilient tube 30 is detachably connected to the lower end of the nipple 24 and the lower end of the tube is adapted for disposition in the bottom of the bag.

The element 13 constitutes actuated means and as stated above is preferably made in the form of a bellows. It is constructed of a resilient material such as rubber or the equivalent. The bellows is provided with a plurality of folds or overlapping corrugations and one end of the bellows is provided with a thickened end portion which supports the pin on element 15. The pin 15 is provided with a head 31 which can be detachably inserted into a recess provided therefor in the said thickened end portion by stretching such portion. The bellows may be supported in any manner desired, but as herein illustrated is preferably detachably secured to the mounting 8. More particularly, the bellows is firmly secured in place by means of a nipple 32 which extends through an end wall of the mounting and is locked in position by a nut 33 so that a member 34 carried by the inner end of the nipple is disposed within the bellows and will cause the base wall of the bellows to be pressed against the mounting in a manner whereby fluid will only pass into and from the bellows through the nipple. The member 34 also serves to impart stablity to the bellows in order that the pin will be maintained in a predetermined position for engagement with the starter.

The mounting 8 is preferably elongate and includes a cross member 35 which carries a hearing 36 which slidably supports the pin 15. One extremity of the mounting is formed to provide a guide 37 within which the movable member 9 in the form of a rack reciprocates or slides. The actuator 11 slides in a flexible tube 38. One end of the tube 38 is detachably clamped to the mounting by a removable plate 39 and its other erd is detachably secured to the motor by a screw 40. The `ends of the actuator are respectively detachably connected to the rack and Starter. The manual control 10 has a gear 41 which meshes with the teeth of the rack for actuating the racl. As alluded to above, this manual control can be actuated independently of the foot control, but is not utilized to operate the washer apparatus.

The motor is provided with the starter 12 which is preferably in the form of a lever for moving a valve whereby the motor may be turned on to cause oscillation of a crank 42 provided with pins 43, the latter of which are 'adapted to be operatively connected through a linkage mechanism to a pair of shafts which respectively carry windshield wiper arms and blades associated therewith. Insofar 'as the present invention is concerned it is immaterial whether the motor is of the fluid-operated type as illustrated or is electr ically operated.

The nozzles 4 and may be of the conventional type and (as clearly shown in the left part of Figur-e 2, each nozzle is carried by a fitting 44 which may be suitably mounted so that the nozzles will project streamsof fluid onto the windshield where desired. V

The foot-oprated control generally designated 17 rnay be designed and constructed 'as desired, but as depicted in Figure 2 of the drawing this control comprises, among other things, a rubber casing 45, a metal cup 46 supporting the casing, a nipple 47 and a plate 48 permanently secured to the inner end of the nipple. Assembly of these Components is preferably accomplished by inserting the plate into the casing, and then the casing into the cup 46 with the nipple 47 extending through a hole in the bottom wall of the cup, after which a portion of the nipple is upset as indicated at 49 to firmly compress portions of the bottom wall of the casing between the bottom wall of the cup and the plate to provide a fluid tight seal. The control 17 may be readily detachably connected with respect to a floor board or other mounting by extending the nipple through an opening 50 provided in such mounting and then securing the control in place by means of a nut 51 which connects with a threaded portion of the nipple.

The operation of the apparatus is relatively simple. When liquid is required to assist in cleaning the windshield it is merely necessary to press the foot down on the resilient casing 45 of the control 17 which will force liquid previously drawn into the casing and conduit 18 from the conta'ner through the tube 30 and valve device 2, to cause seating of the primary valve 28 to prevent such liquid from returning to the container, whereupon the secondary valve 29 will become unseated allowing the liquid under pressure to flow through the conduit 16, cross-union 3, and from the cross-union through conduits 6 and 7 for projection from the nozzles 3 and 4 and also through conduit 14 to the bellows element 13, causing the latter to expand or elongate to force the pin 15 into engagement with the movable member 9 to move the actuator 11 which moves the starter 12 to turn the motor "on at substantially the same time that the fluid is projected from the nozzles. When pressure applied to the casing by the foot is released the element 13 will contract to move the pin 15 away from the movable member 9 and cause the secondary valve 29 to be drawn into scaling relationship with the tubular part 27 to prevent flow ot liquid back to the container through the conduit 16. Release of such pressure will also unseat the prirnary valve 28 whereby liquid will be drawn upwardly from the container through the tube 30 into the valve device and to the casing 45 through the conduit 18 so that the casing may be depressed as before to force liquid through the nozzles, but without actuating the starter because, as indicated above, the starter is returned to the off position by the manual control. After the motor is turned ofF' it can be turned on` again by the manual control or by the foot control. The arrangement is such that the valve device, conduits and casing always contain a full supply of liquid when the casing is in the inoperative position shown, and, therefore, the valve device will immediately respond to any pressures resulting rom the operation of the foot control.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various other modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of the invention; and, therefore, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, constnction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein except as shown, and defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A control assembly comprising a mounting, a member supported for reciprocating movement on the mounting, a manual control for moving the member in either direction, 'a first resilient expansible and contractible hous- `ing aligned with the member and carried by the mounting, and a second resilientexpansible and contractible housing communicatively connected to the first housing for eX- panding it to effect movement of the member in only one direction.

2. Apparatus of the kind described comprising a motor provided with a Starter, a support located remote from the motor, an elongate flexible actuator havingone'end connected to the Starter and its other end mounted on the support, a resilient expansible and contractible housing carried by the support and operatively related to the actuator, a control, and a condut communicatively connecting the housing and the control in a manner whereby operation of the control will cause fluid in the condut to enter and operate the housing to move the actuator to operate the Starter.

3. Apparatus of the kind described comprising a motor provided with a Starter, a support located remote from the motor, a resil ient expansble and contractible housing mounted on the rsupport and operatively related to the Starter, a container for liquid, a nozzle, first condut means communicatively connecting the interior of the container with the interier of the housing and the nozzle, a control, and second condut means communicatively connecting the control with the first condut means in a manner whereby the control can be operated to draw liquid disposed in the contaziner into the second condut means for delivery therefro-rn into the first condut means for release through the nozzle and into the housing for expanding the latter to actuate the Starter.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, including elongate actuating means connected to the Starter and having a part substantially axally aligned with the housing for effecting actuation of the Starter When the housing is expanded.

5. An assembly adapted for use in controlling a motor,

said assembly comprising an elongate frame, an. expansible and contractible fluid-reeeiving housing carried by one extremity of the frame and provided with a fittng having a portion located axially and exteriorly of the frame for connecting a condut with the interior of the housing, guide means provided on the frame, an element connected to the housing and extending through the guide means, an actuator carn'ed by the other extremity of the frame for actuaton by the element when the housing is expanded by fluid pressure, and manually operable means supported on the frame for moving the actuator toward or away from said element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,014,706 Houghton Jan. 16, 1912 1,341,319 Hodges May 25, 1920 1,459,317 Birdsall June 19, 1923 1,781,369 Davis, Jr. Nov.-11, 1930 2,176,538 Modrack Oct. 17, 1939 2,302,158 Van Vulpen Nov. 17, 1942 2,403,277 Hall July 2, 1946 2,467,067 Wilson Apr. 12, 1949 2,583,407 Binder Jan. 22, 1952 2,743,473 Oishei May 1, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 466,827 Canada July 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTION November 29, 1960 Patent No. 2,9l,687

Fred A. Krohm It is hereby Certified that error appears in the above numbered pat ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as oorrected below Column 3, line 27, for "which supports the pin on element The pin 15" read which supports the pin 15. The pin line 70, for "and (as-" read and, as

or element 15 Signed and sealed this 2nd day of May 1961 (SEAL) Attestz- ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer DAVID L LADD Commissioner of Patents 

